System of distribution



Apr. 24, 1923.

1,452,877 G. E. HULSE SYSTEM OF DISTRIBUTION Filed'DeO. 9, 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Apr. 24, 1923. 1,452,877 G. E. HULSE SYSTEM OF DISTRIBUTION Filed Dec 9, 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @XK Q i A 0 3 3 w 2 1 1 N w m w 5 Patented Apr.- 24, 1923.

'- UNIT D STATES PATENT oFF ea.

GEORGE E. HULSE, or JERSEY, assrenon r sarn'rrcan HEATING a momma comra w, a CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY.

SYSTEM OF DISTRIBUTION.

Application Med December 9, 1918. Serial 1T0. 265,823.

tems such as are employed on railway cars.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a simple system of the above type which shall be thoroughly dependable in use.-

Another object is to provide a practical and efiicient system 'of the above type in which the battery is effectively protected against overcharge.

Other; objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the construction and ar-.

rangement hereinafter. set forth, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein I show one or more of various possible embodiments of the several features of this invention, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a system, and Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a modified system. 1 w

Fig. 3 is a similar view of another modified system.'

Similarre'ference characters refer to similar partsthroughout the difierent views of the drawings... Referring now'to Fig. 1 of these drawings, 40 there is shown a generator 1, of the type ordinarily employed for railway battery charging and lighting systems "and preferably driven from a car axle. generator is provided with a shunt field '2, and-is preferably regulated'by acarbon pile regulator 3, comprising the carbon pile 4, the resistance of whlch is controlled by a voltage coil 5, which operates a lever 6, governing the compression of the pile elements, and a current coil 7 which controls a lever 8, also adapted to govern the -compression of the'pile elements under certain conditions.

The detailed action ofthis regulating'is not of interest herein but it may-be noted that the voltage regulating coil being alwaysin action, limits the voltage of the generator and thus in itself is adapted to protect the battery as it restricts the generator voltage to a value lower than. that which would be requiredto force a harmful current through a charged battery. It is to be understood that although this regulator is my preferred form, other types of regulation may be'employed to advantage. 1

Mains 9 and 10 lead from" the generator terminals, the main 10 including a main switch 16 preferably of the automatic type. The details of this main switch are not shown as my invention does not reside in the specific construction of this switch. It may simply be noted that the function of this switch is to close the circuit of main 10 so as to permit the generator to supply cur rent to the battery and translating apparatus, but to open whenever the voltage of the generator is below that of the battery, thus preventing a discharge of the battery through the generator. From the main switch 16, the main 10 preferably extends through the current coil 7 of the regulator.

From series coil7, main 10 preferably leads to the current coil 11 of an ampere hour meter 12, and from the-other end of coil 11 through a switch 13 to storage battery 14, the other terminal of storage battery 14 beingconnected to the other main 9. It is to be noted that the term ampere hour meter is broadly used to denote a device actuated by the flow of charging and discharging current to register substantially the 1 excess of ampere hours put into the battery, and thus the state of battery charge. It is also to be noted that by the expresslon register full charge is meant merely that at full charge the parts will have a predeter- ,mined, position without respect to the use ofa dial or other visual dicating means.

Shunted about sw .13 I provide cur-J I rent-resisting means in the form of asymmetric cell 15, commonly known as an electric valve. This cell is preferablyof the iron aluminum type and is,so connected as to permit relatively free pasage of current in, the direction of the arrow indicated thereon, but to greatly impede the passage of current in the opposite direction. It is to be understood that the term -.current.-resisting means is used broadly to defineany element or device adapted to-resist or impede the flow of an electric current.

Switch 13 is preferably urged'to closed position by a spring 17 'or other similar means. The opening of this switch is controlled by an electro magnetic coil 18, one terminal of which isconnected to the main 9 as shown at.19, on the side of the battery .remote from the generator, and the other terminal of this coil is preferably connected to the main 10 as shown at 20, between the generator 1 and themain switch 16. It is thus energized by shunting through it a small fraction of the generator current.

The circuit of coil 18'is normally open,

but is adapted to be closed by the action of the switch21 controlled by the registering hand or other part of the ampere hour I tion.

meter 12.

The lead connected at 20 conducts current to the pivot 22'of switch 21, and the lead connected at 19=terminates at a contact point 23 in the path ofswitch 21. 1 I v The contact 23 is so disposed-as-to be in engagement with switch 21 when the ainpere hour meter registers' full charge'of the mains 9 and battery. Lamps asat 24 are connectedacross the e 10 in the well known manner in; parallel with the battery. I

In operation, switch 13 is normally closed. After vthe car is set into motion at a substantial speed so as to cause the generator 1 to produce a sufficiently high voltage, main "switch 16 closes and the generator will supply charging current to'the battery through main 10, mainswitch' 16, regulator coil 7 series coil 11 of the ampere hour meter, switch 13, battery 14 and back to the generator through main 9. Inparallel withthe charging circuit, the generator may also feed current to the lamps .24 connected apere hour meter 12 will measure the charge across the mainsa In the process of battery charge, the amsupplied to the battery, and'when the'battery is fully charged, switch 21 will close upon contact 23, thus closing the. circuit of coil 1 8 across the generator, in parallel with the battery. 1

The above circuit is closed through the following path:

'lead 9- v From the generator lead' 10 to the point, 20, switch 21, contact 23, coil 18 and point 19, thence back to the generator through the If the generator be assumed to tend to overcharge the, battery, with switch 21 closed, coil 18 will cause switch 13 to open. The asymmetric cell. is thereby connected directly in the battery branch in the path of the battery charging current, and will in' view ofiits. inherent properties materially and relatively abruptly reduce the current that can be conducted fromthe generator to charge the battery. The battery is thereby efiectively protected against overcharge.

In practice, the coil is preferably so con- .structed as to open when the generator is tending to overcharge the battery and to remain open during such condition. As long as the car isrunning at a relatively high speed, the switch 13 will theretoreremain open and the battery will be protected against excessive charge from the generator.

As soon, however, as the car slows down ma-.

terially, main switch 16 will open, disconnecting the battery from coil 18. The generator will remain connected with coil 18 even after the main switch 16 has opened, but as the speed slows down further, the

coil will be weakeneduntil it is insufiiciently energized to hold switch 16 in open posi- Spring 17 will thereupon close the switch, thus providing a direct connection the generator to supply the lamps, the battery is immediately effective for this purpose, and it 'is noted that there will be no momentary dimming of the lam s 24 in causing-shift from the supply of amp current from the generator, to supply from the battery.

It 'will thus be seen that there are pro-.

vided two independent means for protecting the battery, this independence bein of especial value inasmuch as the total ailure of one of these means does not prevent protection of the battery by the other.

I .Figure 2 I have shown a modified form of my invention, generally similar tothat shown in Fi ure 1 and "generally similar in operation. imilar parts are designated by the same reference numerals as in Figure 1, except that certain numerals are I primed. The main diflt'erence betweenFigure '1 and Figure 2 is that instead of the asymmetric cell15 in Figure 1, I employ a resistance 15' for the purpose of reducing the battery charge. The action of the resistance is to materially cut down the charging current when the ampere hour. meter registers full charge and'a suflicient voltag'eis impressed ference between these systems is that whereacross the coil 18'. Another feature of difas inthat first described, the coil or magnet acting upon an armature, the'corre'sponding coilin Figure 2 preferably? acts upon a movable core pivotally connected with the cir- 18 is'preferably provided'with a fixed core: I

reverses the cuit-controlling member. This core, after the switch has opened, does not require so great a fall in the energizing current to per mit closin scribed, and are indicated by the same refer.

ence characters. The method of protecting the battery by means of the ampere hour meter, however, is somewhat different. The

switch arm 13 swings between stops 25 and 26 respectively limiting its movement inthe cir-' cuit-closing ,and circuit-opening directions. Bridged about this switch is a motor 27 having in series therewitha resistance element 28. This motor is connected to' swing the switch member 13 by means of the friction rollers 29 and 30; one direction of drive of the motor throwing the switch into open position, and the opposite direction of'drive causing the switch to close its circuit. The field of this motor comprises a-conti'nuously connected shunt coil 31 bridgedacross the mains, and a. more werful differential coil ,32 the circuit of w 'ch is controlled by the switch 21 of the ampere hour meter 12, as hereinbefore described.

In operation, the field 31 normally causes the motor to turn in such direction as to throw the switch arm 13 into circuit-closing position, indicated in dotted lines. When wever the ampere hour meter switch has closed the circuit of the more powerful differential field coil 32, the latter in eilect to rotate in t e opposite direction, and opens switch 13; thus substantially stopping the charge to the battery by reason of the heavy resistance 28. It now the generator slows down or stops and the lamps be turned on, the current from the battery will how in a reverse direction through the motor 27 to the lamps. This will immediately reverse the direction of drive of the motor, throw the switch 13 into circuit-closing POSltlOll,

and permit the lam to be freely supplied from the battery. en the generator again comes u to speed, the current will again be reve through the armature of the motor. and if the ampere hour meter has maintained the circuit closed through field coil 32, the

. motor will againbe reversed and the switch 13 opened.

' ,Although the embodiments shown in Figures 2nd 3 have their special benefits 1n polarity of the motor, causes it tery ada use, it is to be understood that the embodiment shown in Figure 1 is in this application more specificall dealt with. 7

It will thus seen that there is herein described a method and a paratus for carrying out the method,'-in which the several features of this invention are embodied, which, method and apparatus in their action attain the various objects of the invention and are well suited tomcet the requirements of prac-' tical use.

As many changes couldbe made in the above construction, and many apparently widely difierent embodiments of this invention could be made without departin from the scope thereof, it is intended that a l matter contained in. the above description or shown in the accompanying'drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a' limiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

. ,1; In a system of the character described,

in combination, a: generator, a storage battery adapted to be charged thereby; an'

ampere hour meter connected to measure the state of charge of said battery, lamps adapted to be' connected with said generator in parallel with said battery, meansrendered operative by said ampere hour meter. upon full charge of said battery adapted to reduce the charging current passing through the battery branch and permit the flow of current from said battery while said means 7 is in operative condition,and anvautomatic switch adapted to disconnect said nerator, said'meansbeingconnected with t e charging circuit on the generator side of said automatic switch.

2. In asystem of the character described,

in combination, a generator, a'storage batted to be charged thereby lamps with said generator in parallel with said battery, a curren resistingdevice in the battery branch, an ampere hour meter connected to register the state of charge of pere hourmeter adapted to render operative said means being connected with the g n circuit on t maticswitch.

1'3. In a systemof the character described,

in combination, a generator, a storage batconnected to he charged thereby, reguhour meter adapted to register the state of charge of said e y, and o g e p nsive means 'conn with'said ampere hour meter and rendered operable thereby upon means upon full charge of 'j said battery, and anautomatic switch ad apted to generator: said last,

e generator side of said auto for said-generator, an amperesaid meter registering fullcharge of said battery to act independently of said regulating meansand u n the attammentfof avoltage correspond ng substantially to full 11o said battery, means connected-with said ami charge voltage to reduce the charging current to said battery. 4. In a system of the character described, in combination, a generator, a storage battery connected to be charged thereby, regu-' lating means for said generator, an amperehour meter adapted to register the state of charge of said battery, voltage responsive means connected with said ampere hour meter and rendered operable upon said meter indicatin substantially full charge of said battery a apted to act independently of said regulating means andto reduce the charging, current to said battery upon the attainment of a voltage corresponding substantially to full charge of said battery, and lamps adapted to be connected with the generator in parallel with said battery, said current reducing means acting upon the battery 1 branch. v 5. In a system of the character described, in combination, a generator, a storage battery connected to be charged thereby, and a plurality of independent, means each Ofg which independently of the other is adapted to reduce the charging current upon said battery reaching full charge, one'of said means including a voltage responsive/coil connected to register charging voltage and an ampere hour meter connected to register full charge of said battery and to aifect the operation of said voltage responsive coil upon said meter indicating full charge of to ra lity of independentmeans each of which said battery, and the other of said means including and ,being controlled by a voltage responsive coil connected to register charging vqltage.

6. In a system of the. character described, in co'mbinationfa generator, a-storage batconnected to be charged thereby, a pluindependently of the other is adapted to. reduce the charging current upon said battery reaching full charge, an ampere hour meter connected to register full charge of said bat tery, v a voltage coil connected to register chargin voltage and to be affected by sa d, ampere hour meter, and another voltage coil connected across the generator, oneof said means being controlled by said last-mentioned voltage coil and acting upon the field of said generator and the other of said means being controlled by said ampere hourmeter and said first-mentioned volta e coil and acting upon the external circuit.

7 In a system of the-character described, in combination, a generator, astorage battery connected o be charged thereby, an automatic switchadapted to disconnect said generator upon said generator slowing down, an ampere hour meterconnected to register full charge of said battery, lamps adapted to be connected with said generator, current-resisting means adapted ito be connectedzin the battery branch, means co n in c trolled by said ampere hour meter adapted to render said resisting means operative upon'said battery attaining full char e, arid be connected with said generator in parallelwith said battery,-- an ampere hour meter connected to register full charge of said battery, an automatic switch adapted to disconne'ct said generator upon I said generator slowing down, a coil connected across the charging mains to have its circuit completed by said ampere hour meter upon -full charge of said battery, said coil being disconnected from said battery upon said automatic switch opening, and means controlled by said coil and acting upon the battery branch, adapted to reduce the charging current flowing. therethrough upon the circuit of said coil being completed by said ampere hour meter.

9. In a system of thecharacter described,

in combination, a generator, .al battery adapted to be charged thereby, lamps adapted to be connected with said generator inparallel with said. battery, an ampere hour meter connected to register full charge'of said battery, an automatic switch adapted to disconnect said generator upon said generator slowing down, a coil connected across the charging mains to have its cli'cult com-' pleted by said ampere I hour meter upon full charge of said battery, said coil be-, '7

ing disconnected from said battery upon.

said automatic switch opening, andnieans controlled by said coil and actingupon the battery branch, adapted to reduce the charging current fiowing'therethrough upon the circuit of said coil beingcompleted by said ampere hour meter, said last means compr1sing a current-resisting device and a shunt about the same controlled by said coil.

10. In a system ,of the character described,

adapted to be charged thereby, lamps adapted to be connected with said generator in parallel with said battery, an ampere hourbination, a generator, a battery llt the charging mains to have its circuit completed by said ampere hour meter upon full charge of said battery, means adapted to disconnect said coil from,saidbattery upon said automatic switch opening, and means controlled by said coil and acting upon the battery branch, adapted to reduce the charging current flowing therethroughm on'the circuit of said coil being completed y said ampere hour meter, said last means comprising an asymmetric cell and a shunt about the same controlled by said'coil.

11. In a system of the character described, in combination, a generator, 9. storage battery connected to be charged thereby, lamps adapted to be connected with said generator in parallel with said battery, an ampere hour meter connected to register full charge of said battery, acurrent-resisting element and a shunting switch therefor connected in parallel in the battery branch, an automatic switch adapted to disconnect said generator, and a coil connected across the mains on the generator side of said automatic switch and having its circuit controlled by said ampere hour meter and controlling said shunting device. 7

12. In a system of the character described, in combination, a generator, a storage battery connected to be dharged thereby, lamps adapted to be connected with said generator in parallel with said battery, an ampere hour meter connected to register full charge of said battery, a current-resisting element and a shunting switch therefor connected in parallel in the battery branch, an automatic switch adapted to disconnect said generator, and a coil connected across the mains on the generator side of said automatic switch and having its circuit controlled by said ampere hour meter and controllingsaid shunting device, said resisting element comprising an asymmetric cell connected to oppose the flow of charging current.

13. In a system of the character described, in combination, a generator, a storage battery adapted to be charged thereby, a normally inoperative electric valve, connected between said generator and said battery, means responsive to substantially full charge of said battery to adapt said valve to substantially cut down the charging current and voltage responsive means adapted upon the attainment of substantially full charge voltage of saidbattery to. affect the operation of said last-mentioned means.

1 1. In a system of the character described, in combination, a generator, a storage battery adapted to be charged thereby, an ironaluminum cell connected between said generator and said battery, a by-pass around said cell, means responsive to substantially full charge voltage of said batteryadapted to remove said by-pass, thereby materially cutting down the chargin current and means responsive to substantially full char indication of said battery adapted to affeet the operation of said last mentioned means.

15. In a system of the character described, in combination, a generator, a stora e battery adapted to be charged there y, an

asymmetric cell connected between said genmagnetic switch normally short-circuiting said means, an ampere hour meter connected to measure current to and from said battery, and means controlled by said meter upon registery thereby of full battery charge, to place the coilof said switch in circuit with said generator thereby to permit said coil to open-circuit said resisting means in response to a predetermined voltage.

17. In a system of the character described, in combination, a storage battery, a generator provided with mains for chargin the same, a device for disconnecting said generator from said battery when the generator voltage is too low for charging. charging current reducing means between the mains and the battery, a control coil for said reducing means adapted to be connected to said generator on the generator side of said disconnecting device, and means comprising an ampere hour meter connected witlh said battery for so connecting said CO1 18. In a system of the character described, in combinat1on,a storage battery, a generator for charging the same, an automatic main switch for disconnectin said generator from said battery when t e generator voltage is too low for charging, an asymmetric cell, normally inoperative, a control-coil for said cell adapted to be connected to said generator on the generator side of said switch, and means responsive to substantially full charge of said battery for so connect-ing said coil.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this sixth day of December, 1918.

GEORGE E. HULSE. 

